For months we've been promising you a breakdown on how to get paid in the music industry, and we launch part one of this discussion with a quick overview on the history of music copyright, to help us understand why music copyright is so convoluted. After that, we look at why there are no rap songs in the Billboard Top 40 — the first time since 1990. In AI news, ASCAP, BMI, and SOCAN have announced new plans to accept some kinds of AI authorship. Next, we cheer on Billie Eilish for calling out Mark Zuckerberg for being a POS billionaire. Finally, what does the beef between Cam'Ron and J. Cole about their song "Ready '24" teach us about contracts and split sheets?

Links

• How Songwriters, Composers, and Performers Get Paid by United States Copyright Office 
• The Brief History of Mechanical Royalties and Music in the U.S.
  January 21, 2021 by Jeffrey E. Jacobson for The Jacobson Firm 
• Ernest Bourget's Revolution in Music Rights for Mone Tunes 
• No Rap Songs Are in the Billboard Hot 100’s Top 40 for the First Time Since 1990 by Andrew Unterberger for Billboard.com 
• ASCAP, BMI and SOCAN align on musical compositions using AI tools alongside human authorship by Andre Paine for Music Week 
• Billie Eilish Calls Out Mark Zuckerberg and Other Billionaires After Announcing Her Own $11.5 Million Charitable Donation by Scoop Harrison for Consequence 
• Cam’Ron Takes Legal Action Against J. Cole Over Their Song “Ready ’24” Claims He Wasn’t Properly Compensated by Jamal Osborne for Hollywood Unlocked 
  
  

Recorded live at Secret Spot DTLA http://secretspotdtla.com

Cameron Ljungkull https://www.cameronljungkull.com

Augustus Watkins https://augustuswatkins.com

Cocaine Opera - Music PR https://cocaineopera.com/